National

‘No chance at all’: CEC on holding simultaneous polls

Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat on Thursday categorically ruled out any possibility of holding simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies without a “legal framework” in place. “Koi chance nahi” (no chance at all), Rawat told reporters in Aurangabad when asked if it was still feasible to hold the parallel polls.

His clarification comes amid a growing debate on holding simultaneous polls, with BJP chief Amit Shah making a strong pitch for the idea.

He argued that one election would check expenditure and ensure that the nation is not in “election mode” throughout the year.